Blacksmithing Merit Badge History

Earned through 195223,680

Best year19191,657 earned

All-time popularity#194official, as of 2020#197by 2025 (estimate)

Earned by Year

First earned in 1913. Peak year 1919 with 1,657. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.

19110 earned

19120 earned

19136 earned#51 of 56

191423 earned#49 of 58

191541 earned#39 of 58

191650 earned#38 of 56

191792 earned#39 of 58

191865 earned#44 of 58

19191,657 earned#19 of 59

1920126 earned#44 of 59

1921235 earned#49 of 61

1922382 earned#48 of 61

1923386 earned#47 of 63

1924315 earned#51 of 64

1925485 earned#46 of 64

1926771 earned#49 of 65

1927960 earned#52 of 68

1928869 earned#67 of 88

19291,026 earned#63 of 89

19301,077 earned#63 of 92

19311,240 earned#67 of 96

19321,210 earned#64 of 98

19331,207 earned#65 of 101

1934908 earned#69 of 101

1935822 earned#80 of 101

1936773 earned#71 of 101

19371,231 earned#67 of 102

1938956 earned#75 of 105

19391,003 earned#74 of 106

1940806 earned#78 of 106

1941885 earned#76 of 106

1942659 earned#80 of 110

1943564 earned#86 of 112

1944901 earned#84 of 111

1945809 earned#84 of 111

1946663 earned#85 of 111

1947567 earned#86 of 111

1948552 earned#86 of 111

1949482 earned#93 of 111

1950753 earned#86 of 111

1951789 earned#88 of 111

1952712 earned#101 of 120

"#101 of 120" means the badge was number 101 of the 120 merit badges earned that year. The 2025 all-time place is an estimate, because the counts for 2021 to 2025 are worked out from each year's official ranking and the total number of merit badges earned that year.

19110none earned

19120none earned

19136#51 of 56

191423#49 of 58

191541#39 of 58

191650#38 of 56

191792#39 of 58

191865#44 of 58

19191,657#19 of 59

1920126#44 of 59

1921235#49 of 61

1922382#48 of 61

1923386#47 of 63

1924315#51 of 64

1925485#46 of 64

1926771#49 of 65

1927960#52 of 68

1928869#67 of 88

19291,026#63 of 89

19301,077#63 of 92

19311,240#67 of 96

19321,210#64 of 98

19331,207#65 of 101

1934908#69 of 101

1935822#80 of 101

1936773#71 of 101

19371,231#67 of 102

1938956#75 of 105

19391,003#74 of 106

1940806#78 of 106

1941885#76 of 106

1942659#80 of 110

1943564#86 of 112

1944901#84 of 111

1945809#84 of 111

1946663#85 of 111

1947567#86 of 111

1948552#86 of 111

1949482#93 of 111

1950753#86 of 111

1951789#88 of 111

1952712#101 of 120

Grand total through 1952:

This page keeps growing. More of this badge's history, including its patches and pamphlets, is being checked and will be added once it is confirmed.

Blacksmithing: workbook data

Printings (21)

Have	Year	Month	Cover	Back	Run	BSA #	Notes
x	1920		1C				HB 20th Edition reference
c	1920		2				15c Wireless
	1921	not made
c	1922		2
c	1923		2				15c Radio
c	1924		2
x	1925		3A over 2	back-3			1924 printing
x	1925		3A	back-3
	1926	not made
c	1927		3A	back-3		3363
	1928	not made
	1929	not made
x	1930	April	3B	back-3		3363
x	1931	March	3B	back-3		3363
c	1932	August	3B	back-3	2M	3363
	1933	not made
	1934	not made
x	1935	February	3B	back-3	1M	3363
x	1936	December	3B	back-3	1M	3363
	1937	not made
	1938	not made
x	1939	February	3B	back-3	1M	3363
	1940	not made
x	1941	August	4	back-4	1M	3363
	1942	not made
x	1943	April	4	back-4	1M	3363
x	1944	May	5A	back-5a	1M	3363
c	1945	June	5B	blank	1M	3363
x	1946	April	5B	blank	1M	3363
	1947	not made
x	1948	March	5B	blank	1M	3363
	1949	not made
	1950	not made
c	1951	July	5B		1M	3363

Earned and rank by year

Year	Earned	Rank	Of
1911	0
1912	0
1913	6	51	56
1914	23	49	58
1915	41	39	58
1916	50	38	56
1917	92	39	58
1918	65	44	58
1919	1,657	19	59
1920	126	44	59
1921	235	49	61
1922	382	48	61
1923	386	47	63
1924	315	51	64
1925	485	46	64
1926	771	49	65
1927	960	52	68
1928	869	67	88
1929	1,026	63	89
1930	1,077	63	92
1931	1,240	67	96
1932	1,210	64	98
1933	1,207	65	101
1934	908	69	101
1935	822	80	101
1936	773	71	101
1937	1,231	67	102
1938	956	75	105
1939	1,003	74	106
1940	806	78	106
1941	885	76	106
1942	659	80	110
1943	564	86	112
1944	901	84	111
1945	809	84	111
1946	663	85	111
1947	567	86	111
1948	552	86	111
1949	482	93	111
1950	753	86	111
1951	789	88	111
1952	712	101	120